Sunday, May 17, 2015

God's Promises in Real Life

Maybe you’re like me … or Asaph, the psalmist.Sometimes we’re in distress. We seek the Lord, even at night, and our souls refuse to be comforted. We remember God and we groan. We muse and our spirits grow faint.

We are too troubled to speak and we wonder if the LORD will ever show His favor to us again. Has He forgotten to be merciful? Is His anger withholding His compassion?*The recent words of a pastor caused me to challenge my dead end thoughts. He said, “God’s promises float history.”My mind began to race as my regular readers will understand. He’s right.

God’s promises do float history. History unfolds according to God’s promises. From the instant He proclaimed the promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15 all of history was orchestrated to bring about Messiah’s arrival and finished work at Calvary. HallelujahAnd every moment of history since the resurrection and ascension of Jesus the Christ is being coordinated toward His Second Coming and the establishment of the new heavens and the new earth. Those whom the Father gave to the Son will join Him and peace shall reign forever.And so I rejoin Asaph.“Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal:

the years of the right hand of the Most High.’I will remember the deeds of the LORD;yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.I will meditate on all your worksand consider all your mighty deeds.“Your ways, O God, are holy.

What god is so great as our God?You are the God who performs miracles;you display your power among the peoples.With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah …“Your path led through the sea,

your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.

“You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Psalm 77:10-15, 19-20

As surely as God led His people across the Red Sea into the land of milk and honey …As surely as God led Naomi out of the trials of Moab to put Obed into her lap …As surely as God led Esther down the hallway to the throne room to rescue her people …

He is leading and rescuing me and all those who “confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.” Romans 10:9

We may not see His hand or hear His voice.

We may have questions or concerns because of the circumstances surrounding us. None of that matters.None of it affects God or His commitment. He continues to keep His promises for my good and His glory. AMENListen to how Laura Story understands God’s promises in the midst of real life.*echoes of Psalm 77